Zimbabwe: cities by population
Zimbabwe has a population of 17,273,580 (UN estimate, 2026), with Harare as its capital. The 50 largest of its 67 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+45%
since 2000 (11,892,055)
+50%
projected by 2050 (25,866,385)
45
people per km²
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in Zimbabwe
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harare | Harare | 1,542,813 |
| 2 | Bulawayo | Bulawayo | 665,952 |
| 3 | Chitungwiza | Harare | 371,246 |
| 4 | Mutare | Manicaland | 224,802 |
| 5 | Gweru | Midlands Province | 158,200 |
| 6 | Kwekwe | Midlands Province | 119,863 |
| 7 | Kadoma | Mashonaland West | 117,381 |
| 8 | Ruwa | Mashonaland East Province | 94,083 |
| 9 | Chinhoyi | Mashonaland West | 90,800 |
| 10 | Masvingo | Masvingo Province | 90,286 |
| 11 | Norton | Mashonaland West | 87,039 |
| 12 | Marondera | Mashonaland East Province | 66,204 |
| 13 | Chegutu | Mashonaland West | 65,800 |
| 14 | Zvishavane | Masvingo Province | 59,717 |
| 15 | Beitbridge | Matabeleland South Province | 58,574 |
| 16 | Bindura | Mashonaland Central | 50,400 |
| 17 | Redcliff | Midlands Province | 41,526 |
| 18 | Chiredzi | Masvingo Province | 40,100 |
| 19 | Hwange | Matabeleland North | 39,750 |
| 20 | Rusape | Manicaland | 37,906 |
| 21 | Karoi | Mashonaland West | 37,564 |
| 22 | Victoria Falls | Matabeleland North | 35,215 |
| 23 | Chipinge | Manicaland | 34,959 |
| 24 | Gokwe | Midlands Province | 33,073 |
| 25 | Kariba | Mashonaland West | 27,600 |
| 26 | Gwanda | Matabeleland South Province | 26,700 |
| 27 | Shurugwi | Midlands Province | 23,304 |
| 28 | Mvurwi | Mashonaland Central | 15,646 |
| 29 | Harare Western Suburbs | Mashonaland West | 15,556 |
| 30 | Plumtree | Matabeleland South Province | 14,460 |
| 31 | Mashava | Masvingo Province | 12,994 |
| 32 | Chivhu | Mashonaland East Province | 12,958 |
| 33 | Mutoko | Mashonaland East Province | 12,336 |
| 34 | Murewa | Mashonaland East Province | 11,750 |
| 35 | Shamva | Mashonaland Central | 10,317 |
| 36 | Mazowe | Mashonaland Central | 9,966 |
| 37 | Banket | Mashonaland West | 9,845 |
| 38 | Glendale | Mashonaland Central | 9,798 |
| 39 | Inyati | Matabeleland North | 8,402 |
| 40 | Penhalonga | Manicaland | 7,681 |
| 41 | Mhangura | Mashonaland West | 6,503 |
| 42 | Chakari | Mashonaland West | 6,472 |
| 43 | Mount Darwin | Mashonaland Central | 6,349 |
| 44 | Concession | Mashonaland Central | 4,983 |
| 45 | Nyanga | Manicaland | 4,852 |
| 46 | Mvuma | Midlands Province | 4,331 |
| 47 | Binga | Matabeleland North | 4,327 |
| 48 | Shangani | Midlands Province | 3,835 |
| 49 | Macheke | Mashonaland East Province | 3,642 |
| 50 | Odzi | Manicaland | 3,438 |
Twenty years earlier: Zimbabwe in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 12,095,233.
Common questions
What is the population of Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe has a population of 17,273,580, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 25,866,385 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of Zimbabwe?
Harare.